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I was just trimming my neighbours overhang and snipped off a branch to a delightful smell then looked closer and now think it may be a bay leaf but how can I tell, It looks like it but I know laurel is poisonous if I'm wrong! If it is I'll stop chopping and start cooking!

Thanks in advance :)

It could be but doesn't look very healthy to me and we need to know the size of the leaves for ID purposes!

It could be, but there is another very similar shrub/tree that it could be, and that's Portugal Laurel.
Easy way to test is to scrunch a leaf in your hand and if it smells aromatic it's Bay, if it smells like a scrunched up leaf it's not.

It smells wonderful but I've only every used dried and don't have any in at moment to compare....just measuring leaves....approx 10 cm

Just scrunched it and it smells amazing....almost a little curryish?

Yep, that's bay all right.

I have have two bay trees in my garden, and I am sorry but I don't think it is!! But I am not sure what it is.

Nikki

thesunflowergal wrote:I have have two bay trees in my garden, and I am sorry but I don't think it is!! But I am not sure what it is.

Nikki

What makes you say that Nikki ?

I just picked two leaves off my tree and as far as I can tell they are identical to Veggiesauraus's ones.
Plus I can't think of any similar leaf that smells aromatically spicy when crushed.
But I am certainly willing to be corrected.

I was getting really excited then.......free bay leaves!!! Going to take a pic of tree for you all later :) Well mostly blocked by fence.

I'd say it's Bay too - it's the little red buds where the Leaf joins the Stem that makes me say that PLUS it's aromatic PLUS it looks like Bay.
Can't you ask your neighbour, just to make sure?

Very sorry, I have just gone a pulled a leaf off mine too. You are all right. There is a very silly reason why I thought it wasn't. My branches are a lot more compact, but then they would be as mine are standards and I clip them into shape. Sorry again, forget I spoke

Don't feel bad - that's how we all learn.

Thank you guys - off to do some cooking!!! Fab!!!

Neighbour wouldn't have a clue!

Can I root the bits I've lopped off???

Plus no it's not in good nick after closes examination today its got very yellow lower leaves and green fly type things on some leaves!!!

I have had some success in autumn rooting of bay cuttings, mine grows like anything, its in a north corner hardly ever gets the sun or water, its on concrete, in a chimney pot, it does get protected from the frost by the house, I cut about four foot a year off it so I can see the rest of the garden,
Take several cuttings just above a leaf joint,I tried some in rooting powder, and into moist compost and some in water to show roots, about half of each succeeded?

Thanks Anne A

Thanks all

:)